Bread slicing machine



A" AILABLE COPY Nov. 30, 1937. c. H. PETSKEYES BREAD SLI'CING MAQHINEFiled March 15, 1954 10 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY5 Nov. 30, 1937.

C. H. PETS KEYES BREAD SLICING MACHINE Filed March 15, 1934 10Sheets-Sheet 2 NOV. 30, 1937. c H PETSKEYES 7 2,101,010

BREAD SLICING MACHINE Filed March 15, 1934 10 Sheets-Sheet 3 "Hahn", l

INVENTO 5% W ATTORNEYS Nov. 30, 1937. c. H. PET'SKEYES 2,101,010

BREAD SLICING MACHINE Filed March 15, 1934 1O Sheets-Sheet 4 BY' WV/W?ATTORNEYS Nov. 30, 1937. c. H. PETSKEYES BREAD 'SLICING MACHINE 10Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 15, 1934 III lnllilllnlnl-l. In til-l:

INVENT R ATTORNEYS Nov. 30,1937. 3, PETsKEYEs 2,101,010

BREAD SLICING MACHINE Filed March is, 1934 '10 Sheets-Sheet e searcn K01146. V EGET ABLE AND M EAT Nov. 30, 1937. c. H. PETSKEYES BREAD SLIQINGMACHINE Filed March 15, 1934 10 Sheets-Sheet 7 W745? RNEY5lllllllflllllllllllilllflafd 1,] f r ,gill/Ill!!!IIIIIIIII/IIIIIIIIIINov. 30, 1937. c. H. PETSKEYES 2,101,010

BREAD SLQICING MACHINE Filed March 15, 1954 10 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTORW? Y wv Wzaf ATTORNEYS Nov. 30, 1937; c. 'PETSKEYES 2,101,010

' BREAD SLICING MACHINE Filed March 15, 934 10 Sheets-Sheet 9 I f -INVNTATTORNEYS.

Nov. 30,1937. (z. H. PETSKEYES I 1,9

BREAD SLICING MACHINE Eiled March 15, 1934 1o Sheets-:Sheet 10A'ITORNEYJ Patented Nov. I I I 4 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I A vpapal) srirzzgt mcnmn I Charles H. Petskeyes, Davenport, Iowa, assignorto Micro-Westco, Inca, Bettendorf, Iowa, a corporation of Delaware vApplication. March 15, 1934, Serial No. 715,694- 10 Claims. (01. 14688)This invention relates to slicing machines and Figure 1 is 'a plan viewoi-the slicing machine more particularly to such machines for complete-01' the present invention; I 1y slicing a loaf article, such as bread,in a single *Fig; 2 is a side elevation of the machine shown operation.v in Fig. 1;

One of the objects of the present invention is Fig. 3 is an enlargedtransverse section taken 5 to' provide a new and improved slicingmachine app oximately on the line 3-3 oi! Fi in which loaves of ,breadand other articles may -f S an ellllarged fragmentary longitudinal berapidly and efiiciently sliced, section taken approximately on the linelr-J of Another object is to provide a slicing machine F 8. of themultiple band type inwhich each of the Fig. 5 is an enlarged rragmenta ysi e abands-may be individually tensioned and in which tion f th dis arend of t s i in ma hin the bands are interchangeable with each other.rtio of e e being bro away and Another object is to provide a slicingmachine, Shown in fi having a means for conveying articles to and 6 is aSection Showing the main d ivin through the slicing. bands inwhich-thevconveying clutch an ra in m hani m in its operative 15 meansmay be driven independently of the slicing position, the same pa ts in 5being S ow mechanism' in a position to disconnect the clutch from itsAnother. object is to provide a slicing machine .P Condition;

having an endless feed conveyor and an endless s an enlarged Side vatithe discharge conveyor in which the conveyors/may charge end of theSlicing machine Showing the 20 be adjusted relative to each other and Ilower end of the discharge conveyor dropped and chronized to provide forthe slicing of articles of the feed thhle moved forwardly over thedifierent widths. charge conveyor away from the cutting bands,

Another object is to provide a slicing machine i z g? z zf theiiutcigmshatt 2 of the multiple band type with a feed table r shwmg he c2 such construction that it maybe retractedtopergaged with the clutchdisconnect 8 same from its driving position; gg g removal and assemblyof the cutter Fig. 9- is a section taken approximately on the line 9-9of Fig. 8;

Another object is to provide a slicing machine I xima of the multipleband type witha feeding mechaz fl g :fg'gfii m on the nism in which an-u nberof endless feed chains Fig. 11 is a p View of feed table, the

are employed and arranged in such manner that same being removed fromthe slicing machine,

I $223 chain operates between adjacent the? and with the, feed conveyorchains, sprockets and s5 Another objectis to provide a slicing machinetable; having l {endless feeimechanism with? a new Fig. 12 is anenlarged section taken approxi- Y means for dispensing unsllced matelyon the line I 2-l2 of Fig. 2, showing the times on e m mefihamsm andwhich s ofiset arrangement of the, lower band pulleys, and chronouslyoperated with the feeding mechanism. howing h h is for driving the same;40

Another Object QP a multiplecband' Fig. 13 is an enlarged section takenapproxtype slicing c n n which, the Portions of the imately on the line|a-|: of Fig. 3, showing the band lying at both sides of the centralaxis theret d mounting of one of the upper pulleys; f of y p e in aSlicingp ati n r ,Fig. 14 is a section taken approximately on the whichall of the bands will not be in slicing operaline ll |'4 of Fig. 3,showing the detailed mount- 5 tion at the same time, whereby to minimizefricing of one of the lower pulleys;

n during h Slicing peration. Fig.'15 is a section taken approximately onthe With the above and 0th objects in view, which linel5-l5 of Fig. 8;will be apparent from the ollowing detailed de- Fig, 16 is a sectiontaken approximately on the scription; the invention consistsin certainfealine Iii-l6 of Fig. 4; v

tures of. construction and combinations of parts Fig, 1715 a sectiontaken a proximate] the wh ch will be apparent to those skilled in theart line l1 |'l of Fig. 4; p y I to which the invention appertains. Fig.18 .is an enlarged section taken approxi In the drawings, whichillustrate suitable emmately on the line l8-l8 01 Fig. 2, showingbodiments of the present invention, the arrangement of the blade guides;66

shafts removed to better illustrate the feed Fig. 19 is an enlargedfragmentary plan view of one of the blade guides;

Fig. 20 is a section taken approximately on Fig. 21;

Fig. 23 18a section taken on the line 23-23 of Fig. 21;

Fig. 24 is-an enlarged section taken through the compensating mechanismfor synchronizing the feed and discharge conveyors;

Fig. 25 is a fragmentary elevation of the clutch mechanism of thecompensator illustrated in Fig. 24 and showing the clutch in engagement;

Fig. 26 is a view similar to Fig. 25 but showing the clutch indisengaged position;

Fig. 27 is an enlarged transverse section taken approximately on theline 2"I--2'I of Fig. 2;

Fig. 28 is a diagrammatic plan view showing the arrangement of theconveyors, driving link, chains; and

Fig. 29 is a diagrammatic side view showing the arrangement of thevarious driving link chains. v

Referring to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals refer tolike parts throughout the several views, the apparatus of the presentinvention includes a pair of spaced side 15) comprises a series ofendless cutter bands 4' mounted upon upper and lower pulleys 5 and 6,respectively, there being an upper pulley 5 and a lower pulley 6 in thesame plane for each band.

.One of these pulleys is driven by a suitable means to be laterdescribed, to provide an individual drive for each band 4. Each band isoffset laterally and rearwardly of each forward band so that an of thebands will not be entered in the article being sliced'at the same time.Furthermore, a. suflicient number of bands is provided so that theportion of the rearmost band at one side of the common plane of the axesof the pulleys 5 and 6 lies in a plane spaced from the portion of theforward band lying atthe opposite side of its pulleys a distance equalto the lateral ofiset of each band from the band immediately forwardlyor rearwardly therefrom so that during the slicing of an article such asa loaf of bread, bothportions of' the band may be utilized in theslicing operation. If desired, however, the bands may be oifset atrandom rather-than uniformly or in a straight line.

Each lower pulley 6 is mounted on an individual hearing I as seen inFigs. 3 and 14, carried by a supporting bracket 8 which is secured bymeans of bolts 9 to the lower crosspiece 3. The openings in the bracketthrough which the bolts 8 extend are elongated so that the lower bracketmay be adjusted to provide the proper centering and tracking of the band4 on the pulleys 5 and 6.

.The bearing I is disposed longitudinally of the side frames I and eachbearing 1 of the lower series is offset a distance equal to thethickness of a slice to be cut as shown in Figs. 3 and 12.

Each upper pulley (Figs. 3, 4 and 13) 5 is similarly mounted on ahearing I carried by a bracket II. The brackets H are slidably mountedin suitable grooves or ways I-2 provided in hangers I3 which, are suiably secured such as by means of the bolts I2 to the upper frame crossmember 2. Each bracket II is supported in its, hanger I3 on an adjustingbolt I4 threaded into the bracket II, which bolt extends through and isfree to turn in the upper cross member 2. The bolt I4 is also formedwith a shoulder portion I for taking the downward thrust and a squaredend I3 so that it can be rotated in the cross piece 2 to raise or lowerthe bracket II, and thereby provide for the proper tensioning of theband 4. A suitable screw I1 is provided for engagement with the bolt I4as indicated in Fig. 3, to lock the adjusting bolt I4 in any desiredadjusted position. Other means for locking the bolt I4 may of course beprovided. Each of the brackets II is provided with such an adjustingmeans so that the various bands 4 may be -indiv'idually tensioned.

ential flange I8 of the pulley 5. In the construction shown in Fig. 13 aball. bearing, unit is employed to rotatably support the pulley 5, theouter race I9 being carried in the aperture of the bracket I I and theinner race 20 being carried by the pulley 5. The pulley 5 has a shaftportion or boss I0 extending part way through the race 20 from the oneside and a flanged boss '22 extends in from the other side of the innerrace and the two boss portions are interlocked,

a screw 23 being provided to clamp the inner race 20' between the web ofthe pulley 5 and the flange 24 of the boss 22, thus providing a freely'rotating pulley.

The lower pulley 6, as shown in Fig. 14, is mounted on a ball bearing 25in a manner similar to the upper pulley 5 with the exception that inthis lower construction the flange 24 of the boss 22 is formed with acircumferential groove 26 therein for the reception of a driving belt.

The pulleys 5 of the upper series and the pulleys 6 of the lower seriesare so arranged with respect to each other that sufiicient clearance isprovided for removing and assembling the individual bands withoutnecessitating the removal of the pulleys or their supporting brackets.

The slicing mechanism is driven from the motor 2I'which by means ofbelts 28 drives the shaft 29 of a power take-oft device 30 (Figs. 3, 4and 12), the device 33 having a pair of shafts 3| and 2 which are drivenin opposite directions by means of intermeshed gears 29a. The shafts 3|and 32 are preferably provided with pulleys or driving surfaces 3| a and32a, respectively, which drive the band pulley operating belts 33 and34,

respectively. The belts 33 and 34 are mounted in the grooves 26 providedin the flange portions 24 of the lower series of pulleys 6 or in such amanner that the belts 33 drive alternate pulleys 6, whereas the belts 34drive the intermediate pulleys 6 so that each cutter band 4 is driven ina direction opposite to the adjacent cutter bands.

of travel of adjacent bands as'may be found desirable. I In order toinsure against twistingor deflecting of the cutter bands 4 adjacentthearticle being sliced, a'suitable guiding mechanism (Figs. 3, 18, 19 and20) is provided which comprises forward'and rearward cross pieces 35 and36, respectively, extending between the side frames 1, and a pair ofelements 38 and 39 extending Each of the elements 38 and 39 carries aguide strip 46 preferably of bakelite or other nonmetallic'materialhaving slots 41 therein which receive and guide the cutter bands. Abread guide plate 42 is also provided atthebottom side. of the strip 46for engagement with the top of the bread or other article beingsliced,"this guide 42 having slots 43 therein which provide fingers 44that extend between the bands 4 and have. their ends "turned upwardly soas to permit the passage of the loaf of bread or other article bene'aththe guide elements. Thebread guide plate 42, however, may be eliminatedif desired.

The elements 38 and 39 are vertically adjustable and have at their endssuitable guide posts 45 which extend upwardly through the cross pieces35 and 36, thumb screws 46 being carried by the cross pieces 35 and 36to engage with and hold the posts 45 in the desiredvertical position.This provides an adjustment so that loaves of bread or other articles ofdifl'erent heights may.

' be'properly guided and held against substantial vertical movementduring the slicing operation.

The bread or other article tobe slicedis supported on a substantiallyhorizontal feedtable 41 (Fig. 11) which comprises a'pair of spaced sidepieces 48 and a number of spaced slice supporting strips 49 intermediatethe side pieces 48 which extend between the cutter bands 4. These strips49 are held in spaced apart relation by spacers 56 of varying lengths,the spacers 56 terminating at the rearward end of the table and boltsare employed to clamp the side pieces. strips 49 and spacers 56 togetherat th s end of the table' The spacers 56 extend toward the forward endof the table and terminate ingroups of different lengths adjacent thenon-cutting edges of the bands as indicated in Fig. 11, to compensatefor the offset arrangement of the cutter bands. Other bolts 52 areemployed to securely clamp different groups of the strips and spacerstogether intermediate the ends of the strips '49; This provides asupporting table having band receiving slots 53 therein betweenthestrips 49 and of different lengths which open through the forward end ofthe table.-

The table 41 is so mounted on the s de frames 1 that it can be movedbodily rearwardly until the forward end thereof clears the cutter bands4 to thereby enable the 'cutter bands 4 to be individually and easilyremoved without disassemblingthe slicing machine. The table '41 isslidablyv supported on ledges 54 carried by the I side frames and isheld in position against the ledges '54 by suitable rollers 55 rotatablycarried by the side frames.

One of the side pieces 48 of the feed table is provided witha' rack 56(Figs..3 and 1) at its f desired to remove suitable gear 51. The gear 51is mounted on a shaft 58 Journalled in the adjacent side frame at therearward end thereof and the shaft is capable of being rotated by meansof a hand wheel 59 carried by the squared end of the shaft. By rotating'the hand wheel 59 the table 41 can be moved rearwardly to theapproximate position will'clear all of the cutter bands '4 when it-is orassemble the cutting bands tothepulleys I The table "also carriesa meansfor feeding the loaves of bread or other articles to, through and beyondthe cutter bands.

3, 4, 7, 21, 22'and 23) includes a shaft 66 mouned in bearings 6| at theforward end'of the table 41 which carriesa plurality of sprockets-62each sprocket lying in a plane disposed midway adjacent the cutter bandand at ,thecenter of the strip '49 which extends between such cutterbands. I d I 'As shown inFlgs. 21 and 22 the end of each This means(Figs.

indicated in Fig. v'7 so that the endof the table strip 49 is bifurcatedand "recessed to. receive a narrow sprocket 63 having short hub or shaftportions journalled in the recesses of the arms 65 provided by thebifurcation, and this sprocket 63 is indirect. alignment with one of thesprockets 62 at the opposite end of thetable so that these alignedsprockets 62 and 63 carry a feed chain 66 which passes between a pair ofthe cutter bands. Each chain 66 is provided with spaced slice engagingflights 61 thereon and each chain is guided during its passagebetween'the bands 4 by spaced webs 68 which-slide within a groove 69formed centrallyineach strip-49 in such. a manner that the groove 69 andweb 68 will prevent any lateral deflecticn of the chain 66, and therebyavoid interference of the flights 61 with the cutter bands 4. The chains66 are, of course, i

so arranged that the flights 61 thereof aredisposed in aligned series.

It is thus seen that the individual chains 66 .of the conveyor passbetween adjacent cutter bands to carry the bread or other article whichis to be sliced to, through and beyond the cutter bands arid alsothatthe assembled bread supv 29) which is driven by'a drive chain 1| thatis.

operated bya sprocket 12 journalled on a shaft 13, the sprocket 12 beingdriven by a drive chain .14 from a drive shaft 15.

The shaft 1: is Journalled in the ,ends 61 suitable llnks 16 and 11, theopposite end of the links 16 being pivoted about the conveyor'shaft 60and the opposite ends of the links 11'being' pivoted about thedriveshaft 15 so as to permit the shaft 13 to be moved rearwardly with thefeed table 41 and thereby avoid slack in the drive, chain for the'feedchain 66 when the feed table 41 is retracted to remove the strips 49from between the cutter bands 4.

The loaves of bread or other unsliced articles are fed to thefeed tableby means of an intermittently operated feed mechanism (Figs. 4, 16

frames The pusher 18 reciprocates between a lowerside, the teeth ofwhich are meshed with a pair of article supporting plates 86 disposedsuband 17) which includes a reciprocable pusher 18' th'at is guided atits ends in suitable -ways.19- supported by cross pieces-carried by the.side

stantially on a level with the feed table 41 and is provided with amounted pusher plate 8|, this pusher plate having a downturned portionwhich is vertically disposed to move over the article supports andengage with the article deposited on the supports 80 to move sucharticle toward and upon the feed table in advance of a series of flights61.

.The pusher 18 is synchronized with the feed conveyor chain 66 so thatupon each forward movement of the pusher an unsliced article will bepositioned on the feed table in advance of a series of flights 61. Thepusher actuatihgmechas indicated in Fig. 4. The link 83 is actuated by acam 86- mounted on a shaft 81-which is journalled in the support 84. Theshaft 81 is provided with a drive sprocket 88 which is driven by meansof a suitable drive chain 89 from a common drive shaft I20. The commondrive shaft I20 also provides, through a, suitable drive chain 9|, thedrive for shaft 15 which causes the operation of the feed chains 66. Itis to be noted that the same shaft I 20 is utilized for driving the feedchains 66 and pusher cam 86 so that the pusher 18 is synchronized at alltimes with the flights 61 of the feed chains 66.

The article to be sliced is preferably deposited on the bread supports80 by means of a gravity feed conveyor comprising a. plurality ofgravity rollers 92 and spaced guides 93 which terminate in a plane abovethe pusher 18 and forwardlyof the feed chains 06. Mounted above thesupports 80 and in advance of the end of the gravity feed member isaistop element 94 which is carried by a bracket 95 mounted on an extension96 of the rearward frame cross piece 35. The stop 94 is also in advanceofthe pusher when the pusher is in its retracted position. is movingrearwardly to position a loaf A, as indicated in Fig. 4, onto thefeed'table 41, the following loaf B which has moved down the gravityrollers 92 rests on the top of the pusher and against the stop 94 andthen when the pusher moves back to its normal position the loaf B dropsdownwardly onto the supports 80 in front of the pusher plate 8|, a stopplate 91 being employed to prevent forward movement of the leaf or otherarticle during the retraction of the pusher.

The mechanism for removing the sliced loaves away from the feed table 41preferably comprises an endless conveyor (Figs. 5, '1 and27) whichincludes a pair of spaced side pieces 90 rigidly interconnected andhaving rearward and I forward conveyor shafts 99 and I 00. These shaftscarry suitable sprockets on which conveyor side chains IOI are trained,the chains being interconnected by spaced article engaging flights I02which operate over a discharge table I03. The side pieces '98 also carryadjustable'loaf guides I04 for holding the sliced loaves in contiguousrelation as they are moved along the discharge table I03. The spacebetweerr the discharge table I03 and the feed table 411 is "bridged by asuitable transfer plate I 05 so that the sliced loaves can bedischarged'onto the table I03.

The rearward end of the discharge conveyor is vertically adjustable sothat it can be operated When the pusher teeth I25.

in connection with a wrapping machine if desired, and this end ispivotally mounted on links I06 which are secured by bolts I01 to theside frames, the openings I08 in the side frames for the bolts I01 beingelongated to permit the de- 6 sired vertical adjustment of the dischargeconveyor. V 1

In order to permit the retraction of the feed table 41 when it isdesired to remove and replace the cutter bands with other bands, theforward 10 end of the discharge conveyor-is disposed so that, it can beswung downwardly (Fig. 5) and this movement is provided by means of alocking linkage I09 which is connected with a rod carried by theconveyor side pieces 98 and with an 15 arm II 0 mounted on a shaft IIIwhich is carried by the side frames. The shaft III is ro-, tated bylevers H2 at the opposite sides of the machine which when moved inupward direction will cause the forward end of the discharge 20 conveyorto drop downwardly out of the plane of movement of the feedtable 41.

The forward shaft I00 of the discharge conveyor is driven by means of asuitable link belt II3 from the common drive shaft 90 so that the 25flights I02 of the discharge conveyor may be s chronized with theflights 61 of the feed 0 ains 06.

; The common drive shaft 90 is driven by a drive chain 4 from a shaft uswhich in turn 30 shown) in 86 flights I02 of the discharge conveyor andflights 40 61 of the feed mechanism will obtain when loaves of differentwidths are to be sliced, provision is made for adjusting the relativepositions of these flights. This is accomplished by providing acompensator on the shaft 90 so that the feed 45 conveyor chains 66 canbe rotated relative to the discharge conveyor to advance the flights ofone relative to the other.

It will benoted from Figs. 3, 24, 25 and 26 that the sprockets II9 forthe drive chain II3 that 50 drives the discharge conveyor and for thedrive chain II4 that is driven from the drive shaft II5lare' keyed orotherwise secured to the shaft 90 and that the shaft 90 is journalled ina tubular shaft I20 which in turn is journalled in the 55 side framesI.' The sprocket I2I for the cam drive chain 89 and the sprocket I22 forthe feed conveyor drive chain 9| are keyed to the tubular shaft I20.

Rigidly mounted on the end of the shaft I20 an outwardly of the sideframe is a hand wheel I23 and secured to the hub of the hand wheel is anannular ring I24, the radial face of which is formed with an annularseries of ratchet The shaft 90;.also has an annular plunger supportingmember I26 secured thereto outwardly of the tubular shaft which memberis recessed to slidably receive a plunger I21, a" spring I28 beinginterposed between the head of the 7 plunger and bottom of the recess toconstantly urge the plunger into engagement with one of the ratchetteeth I25 tothereby effect a drive between the shafts 90 and I20.Rotatably posiwheel I29 which carries an annular member I30, the annularmember I30 having a cam face I3I which engages with a flnger I32 formedon the end of the plunger I21 that projects beyond the member I26.

In order to disconnect the shafts 90 and I20 to permit independentrotation of the same it is only necessary to hold the hand wheel I29stationary and rotate hand wheel I23 so that during this ,relativerotation the cam face I3I will retract the plunger I2'I from itsengagement with the ratchet teeth I25. when the two shafts arethusly'disconnected the hand wheel I23 can then be rotated to advance orretard the flights 61 of the" feed chains 66 relative to the flights I02of the discharge conveyor to thus provide the desired synchronization oftheflightsthat is the time when the flights I02 .will arrive at theproper bread receiving position.

It is also possible to advance the flights 61 o the feed chains 66relative to the flights I02 of the discharge conveyor by advancing theplunger I21 over the-ratchet teeth I25 of the compensator withoutactually disconnecting the two shafts, thereby effecting the desiredsynchronization in a speedy manner. a 4

This also provides a'means whereby the discharge conveyor can beoperated independently of the "feed mechanism such as when it is desiredto use the discharge conveyor as a means for feeding unsliced articlesto a wrapping masliced articles directly upon the infeed conveyor of thewrapper, I have provided a clutch device so that the flights. I02 of thedischarge conveyor' will always stop at a predetermined location and.will only start again at a predetermined time with respect to the feedflights of the wrap ping' machine. This clutch device is carried by themain drive shaft .5 (Figs. 5, 6, 8 arid 9) and in this case the sprocketI33 for the drive'belt' I I4 is rigidly keyed to drive shaft 5 and thesprocket I34 for the drive chain H6 is rotatably mounted on the shaft H5in an axially fixed gage with the cam surface I35 and with the stopshoulder I36, 30 that when the sprocket I34 is rotated the shaft II5will also rotate to drive the drive shaft 90 for the feed and dischargeconveyors, the arm I39 being yieldably held in collar and therebydisengage the arm I39 from the shoulder I36 and hold itfdisengaged aslong as the roller I42 is in its actuated position, so as topermit-rotation of the sprocket J34 independently of the drive shaftII5. Inasmuch as the arm I will only engage with the roller in a singlepredetermined position, the 'driving face I36 will only engage the armI39 of the bell crank and thereby cause rotation of the shaft I I6 at.such predetermined position, with the result that the flights of thedischarge. conveyor will be .started in synchronization with the infeedflights of the wrapping machine, whichprovides the drive for the shaftH5.

[The roller I42 is mounted on a swlngable arm I43 which is hinged onthe-shaft III and which is connected by means of a. link I44 with alever I45 mounted on shaft I45a, which shaft carries a pair of leversI451). The levers 517 are connected by linkages I46 with the hand wheelI" at the discharge end of the slicer and by linkages I48 with the handwheel I46 at the feed end of the slicer, so that by rotating either thehand wheel I" or hand wheel I49 the roller I42 can be moved into and outof its clutch actuating position.

It will be observed from the foregoing description that I have provideda slicing machine in which the slicing mechanism is drivenindependentlyof the feeding and discharge mechanism,-in which the feeding anddischarge mechanisms can be properly synchronized for slicing loaves ofbread. or other articles of difierent widths and also in which thedischarge mechanism is synchronized for operation with a wrappingmachine and operable independently of the slicing and feedingmechanisms.

In the slicing mechanism, endless high speed cutter bands which areinterchangeable with each other, are provided and each band can beindividually tensioned to compensate for any degree of stretch orvariation in length relative to other bands and also can be easilyremoved and replaced by other bands without disassemblingany parts ofthe slicing machine.

Furthermore, a new and improved feeding mechanism is provided which canbe retracted -.to permit an easy removal and assembly of the cutterbands.

Although a single embodiment of the invention'has been herein shown anddescribed it will be understood that numerous details of theconstruction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from thespirit of this invention as deflned in the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a slicing machine, a series of individual pulleys, each pulleyhaving its axis offset with respect to theother pulleys in said seriesac- .cording to the thickness of the slices to be produced, a secondseries of pulleys, each having its axis offset with respect to the otherpulleys in said series according to the thickness of the slices to beproduced and each lying in the plane of a pulley in the other series, anendless cutter band carried by each. pair of coplanar 'pulleys, each ofsaid pulleys of one 'of said series having a driving pulley, a pair ofintermeshed gears, shafts extending from said gears, belts carried byone of said shafts and some of said driving pulleys,'belts carried bythe other of said shafts and the other of said driving pulleys, andmeans for driving said gears.

2. In a slicing machine, a plurality of endless cutter bands, spacedpulleys supporting each of of cutting edges at one side of said pulleysand a second series of cutting edges at the other side of said pulleys,a pair of side-frames, cross mermsaid bands, each band having itscuttingedge 1 offset. with respect to the'cutting edges of the bersextending between'said side frames and a "pair of guide elements by sadcross series of cutting edges at one side of said pulleys and a secondseries of cutting edges at the other members adjacent said series ofcutting edges, one of said elements having slots therein for receivingand guiding the portions of the bands at one side of said pulleys andthe other of said elements having slots therein for receiving andguiding the portions of the bands at the opposite side of said pulleys,each of said elements being adjustable in the direction-of movement ofsaid bands and being engageable with a side of the article being slicedby said bands.

3. ,In a slicing machine, a plurality of endless cutter bands, spacedpulleys supporting each of said bands, each band having its cutting edgeoifset with'respect to the cutting edges of the other bands according tothe thickness of the slices to be produced, thereby providing one sideof said pulleys, a table for supporting an article to be sliced having aplurality of finger portions at one end extending between said outterbands, said table comprising a plurality of elongated members ofsubstantial identity, se-

cured in spaced relation to each other, and

means for slidably moving said table relative to said bands to move saidfinger portions from between said bands, whereby said bands may beremoved from said pulleys.

4. In a slicing machine havinga plurality of spaced cutters, an articlesupporting table having a plurality of finger portions at one endextending between said cutters, a plurality of sprockets at each end ofsaid table arranged in coplanar pairs, each pair being .disposedin aplane lying substantially midway between a pair of adjacent cutters, anda feed chain trained over the sprockets of each pair of sprockets lyingbetween adjacent cutters, said table having a plurality of, longitudinalgrooves therein, each groove lying in a plane substantially midwaybetween adjacent cutters, each feed chain having projecting guidefingers projecting into -'the adjacent groove for sliding movementtherethrough to hold said chain against deflection.

6. In a slicing machine having a plurality of spaced cutters, an articlesupporting table having at one end a series'of spaced strips extendingbetween adjacent cutters, each of said strips at its end supporting adriven sprocket, a plurality of drive sprockets at the opposite end ofsaid table, each of which is disposed in the plane of a driven sprocket,said plane lying substantially midway between adjacent cutters, a feedchain trained over each pair of coplanar drive and driven sprockets,said table having a longitudinal groove extending from end to endbetween each pair of adjacent cutters, said feed chains having guidefingers extending into said grooves with operating clearance, and meansfor driving said drive sprockets.

6. In a slicing machine having a plurality ofspaced cutters, an articlesupporting table having at one-end a series of spaced strips extendingbetween adjacent cutters, the free end of each strip being bifurcated toprovide spaced arms, said arms being recessed, a chain sprocket disposedbetween said arms and having relatively short shaft portions seating inthe recesses of spaced cutters, an article supporting table having atone end a series of spaced strips extending between adjacent cutters,the free end of each strip. being bifurcated to provide spaced arms,saidarms beingrecessed, a chain sprocket dis.-

posed between said arms and having relatively short shaft portionsseating in the recesses of said arms, a chain sprocket at theoppositeend of said table and in the plane of said first sprocket, and a feedchain trained over said sprockets, said chain and table havingoverlapping portions to hold said chain against deflection.

8. In a slicing machine,a series of individual pulleys, eachpulleyhaving its axis offset with respect to the other pulleys in saidseries according to the thickness of the slices tobe produced, a secondseries of pulleys,'each having its axis offset with respect to the otherpulleys in slices to be'produced and each lying in the plane of a pulleyin the other series, an endless cutter band carried by each pairofcoplanar pulleys,

said series according .to the thickness of the each of said pulleys ofone of said serieshaving a driving pulley, means for driving thealternate driving pulleys in one direction, and means for driving theremainder 01 said driving pulleys in the other direction, wherebyadjacent drivingpulleys are driven in opposite directions.

9. In a slicing machine, an upper series of ndividual pulleys, the axesof said pulleys being parallel and each pulley having its axis offsetwith respect to the axes of the other pulleys in the series, a lowerseries of individual pulleys coplanar with the pulleys of said upperseries and having their axes similarly arranged, endless cutter band's,each carried by a pair of coplanar pulleys, including an upper pulleyand a lower pulley, one of each pair of coplanar pulleys having adriving pulley, a peirof shafts driven in opposite directions, beltscarried by one of the shafts to drive alternate driving pulleys,

' belts carried by the other of the shafts to drive the other alternatedriving for driving said shafts;

10. In a slicing machine, a-framework, slicing mechanism mounted in saidframework and inpulleys, and means eluding a plurality of spaced cuttingedges, an

article,supporting table coniprising a plurality of elongated elementsof substantial identity arranged in parallel relation with respect toone another and extending between the spaced cutwith respect to theelements and with the. unsupported ends of the elements passing betweenthe cutting edges. I

cnamns rLTPE'rsnYns.

55 ting edges, said elements each having an unsup-

